Salem t



UNITED STATE@ PATENT FFICE.

SALEM T. LAMB, O17 NEW' IVASHINGTON, INDIANA.

CLOTHES-FRAME.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 30,069, dated September 18, 1860.

To all whom et may concern:

Be it known that I, SALEM T. LAMB, of New IVashington, in the county of Clark and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clothes- Driers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactl description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1, represents a perspective view of the clothes drier spread out and ready for use. Fig. 2, represents a vertical section through the pedestal or stand, and showing how the spindle is connected thereto, so as to freely turn or be removed therefrom, as occasion may require. Fig. 2, represents atop plan of the pedestal.

Similar letters of reference where they occur in the separate figures, denote like parts in all the drawings.

The leading feature of my invention consists in the manner in which I connect the arms of the drier to each other, to the spindle (or the hub thereof), and to a lever extending outside of the frame, so that the person standing outside of the frame, may raise or lower the arms with facility.

My invention further consists in combining with the arms and their connections, a straining cord and purchase for spreading, and holding in a spread out position said arms.

My invention further consists in the manner in which I make and arrange the hinged or folding legs, so that they will when spread out lap over each other, and bear equally on each side of the pivot pin, to prevent them from splitting.

My invention further consists in the devices for securing the spindle in the socket of the pedestal or hub, so that the frame may freely turn in the pedestal, or be removed therefrom, as occasion may require.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe the same with reference to the drawings.

A represents a pedestal, post, or hub, to which are pivoted as at a, a, the four legs B, B, B, B, that support the clothes drier, the portions b of the legs, beyond the pivot, being long enough, to lap over the next adjacent leg, and slight-ly cut away as at c, to make a firm support thereon. This brings the weight of the frame evenly on each side of the pin or pivot e, and thus prevents them from splitting'.

A hole (Z, is bored vertically into the pedestal, in which the spindle C snugly fits and may turn. A groove c, is cut around the spindle C, near its lower end, and a peculiarly shaped key f', is passed through the pedestal, so as to fit into said groove. i

This key is cut away at g, so that when this cut away portion is opposite the groove, the spindle and frame connected to it may be lifted out of the pedestal; but when the other portion of the key, as in Fig. 3, is opposite the groove', the spindle and frame may freely turn on or in the pedestal but cannot be removed therefrom. Tol prevent the key from being lost or mislaid, pins L are passed through its ends, which pins may also be guides to know when the spindle is fast or loose in the pedestal, as when one pin is run up to the pedestal the spindle is keyed fast, and when the opposite pin is run up to the pedestal the spindle can be lifted out of its socket.

To a hub C, on the spindle C, are pivoted as at z', four arms D, D, D, D, which extend upward and outward as seen'in Fig. l, and at or near the central portions of these arms, are pivoted as at j, four arms E, E, E, E, which project toward a common center, where they are also pivoted to a hub F, as at 7c, said hub being formed at the upper end of a rod G, which extends downward, and in line with the spindle C, said rod being suspended to, or by the inner ends of the arms E. The arm E', of the series, extends out beyond the arm D, to which it is pivoted, far enough to form a lever H, which can be grasped and operated by a. person standing outside of the frame, for raising or lowering said frame.

A cord or rope m, is fastened to the lower end of the rod G, by one of its ends, and thence passing under a pulley n fastened to the top of the spindle C, its other end is fastened to a straining lever I, this being for the purpose of straining up, and holding the cord or line o that is reeved or run through the arms D; and to prevent the arms D from spreading too far, and to relieve them of the weight which would tend to draw them down, cross ropes p are united to them, which tie them together at their tops. The straining lever I, has a notch cut in its end, which takes into or under a staple or catch o", in the arm to which the long or lever arm E', is pivoted, and then by raising up said lever I, the arms D, are pressed outward and tighten up the line 0 the end s of said lever may then be passed into the hook or catch t, and there held, which holds the frame in its extended position.

When the frame is to be let down, the lever I is irst detached, and then by drawing down the lever H, the arms all come together and closely fold up. The legs may also be folded up together, and the frame and pedestal disconnected. In this position the clothes drier, lines and all, occupies but little space, while the frame when extended though occupying less than ten feet square in space, will take some one hundred and fifty feet of clothes linethose p, being also available to hang clothes upon.

Having thus fully described the nature and object of my invention, what I claim therein as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In combination with the series of hinged and folding arms D, E, the lever H,

extending out beyond the frame, for the purpose of raising or lowering said frame, subv stantially as described.

2. In combination with the series of hinged and folding arms D, E, the straining lever I, with its cord m, for straining up and holding in a strained up position the clothes lines substantially as described.

3. In combination with the groove e, on the spindle, the cut away key f, in the pedestal, for the purpose of removing the spindle from the pedestal when necessary, or for locking thereto, but always so that it may turn around substantially as, and for the purpose described.

4. So shaping and arranging the legs B, on the pedestal, that their upper ends shall lock or lap over each other, and bear equally on each side of the pivot pin, to prevent their splitting, substantially as described.

SALEM T. LAMB.

Witnesses C. COHEN, I. HIRscH. 

